WILSON, Wyo. — A little more than a week after a fatal collision closed Teton Pass for almost 12 hours, Pass drivers experienced another brush with danger.
An RV towing a trailer seemingly lost its brakes on Thursday afternoon while descending Teton Pass, sending the vehicle barrelling down the road and swerving into oncoming traffic when it could not stop to avoid other vehicles. Miraculously, no collisions have been reported from the incident, but the sight serves as a good reminder to know what one’s brakes can and can’t handle.
“Most vehicles have brake systems designed for that specific vehicle,” Wyoming Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Aaron Brown told Buckrail. “Anything you add in additional weight, like a trailer or heavy payload, it may exceed the vehicle’s ability to safely stop when you need to. This is especially true in mountain terrain.”
Brown advises using engine braking when descending steep grades, and notes that heavy vehicles should use the alternate path through Alpine when possible.
Emergency page-outs on Thursday afternoon indicated the vehicle had overheated by the time it reached downtown Wilson. Be careful out there, folks.
